#72 - Detektivbyrån - E18
Meta Description: Detektivbyrån's "E18" Swedish folktronica story - how Martin Molin and Anders Flanders created their highway-inspired debut masterpiece using shoes and scissors as instruments.
Story Behind "E18" by Detektivbyrån
From Amélie Soundtrack to Swedish Highway Romance
"E18" emerged from a fateful musical discovery that changed everything for the Molin brothers. In 2005, Martin Molin heard Yann Tiersen's "La Valse d'Amélie" from the beloved French film Amélie, and the accordion-driven melancholy sparked an immediate creative revelation. Inspired by Tiersen's tender glockenspiel and accordion compositions, Martin and his brother Anders "Flanders" Molin formed Detektivbyrån ("The Detective Agency") in their hometown of Karlstad, Sweden, before relocating to Gothenburg to pursue their musical vision.
The Highway That Became a Song
The title "E18" pays homage to the European route E18 that passes directly through Karlstad, Värmland County, where the band members grew up. This highway connection became more than geographical - it represented their journey from small-town Sweden to the wider world of folktronica innovation. The song captures the nostalgic pull of home while embracing the forward momentum of musical exploration, blending traditional Värmland folk music traditions with modern electronic elements in a way that felt both rooted and revolutionary.
"E18" Recording and Production Details
Unconventional Instruments and Martin Molin Productions
Recorded at Martin Molin Productions in Gothenburg between May-July 2006, "E18" showcased the band's commitment to sonic experimentation. The track featured an extraordinary array of instruments that pushed beyond traditional folktronica boundaries: glockenspiel, accordion, zither (harpeleik), music box, traktofon, and most memorably, everyday objects like shoes, scissors, and a "secret soundbox." This inventive approach to instrumentation would later influence Martin Molin's famous Marble Machine project with Wintergatan.
Street Musician Portability Meets Studio Innovation
The band's background as street musicians in Gothenburg influenced their instrument choices, requiring portability that led to creative solutions. The glockenspiel became central not just for its delicate, bell-like tones, but because it could be easily transported for busking. In the studio, this practical limitation transformed into artistic innovation, as the band layered portable folk instruments with electronic programming to create their signature "whimsical" sound that critics compared to a crossover between Ratatat and Beirut.
Notes About "E18" by Detektivbyrån
Release Date: January 1, 2007 (on E18 Album)
Duration: Approximately 4:00
Genre: Folktronica / Electronic Folk
Album Position: Title track
Label: P-Vine (Japan) / Danarkia (Sweden)
Recording Location: Martin Molin Productions, Gothenburg
Recording Period: May-July 2006
Detektivbyrån "E18" Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: E18 Album
Release Date: January 1, 2007
Label: P-Vine (Japan) under license from Danarkia
Recording Location: Martin Molin Productions, Gothenburg, Sweden
Album Type: Debut album / compilation of previous EP and singles
Track Count: 11 instrumental tracks
Band Members/Personnel
Anders "Flanders" Molin - Accordion, Music Box
Martin "MacGyver" Molin - Glockenspiel, Traktofon, Toy Piano, Theremin
Jon Nils Emanuel Ekström - Drums, Sound Box, Small Bells
Marcus Sjöberg - Drums (later member)
Album Production Notes
Compilation featuring songs from Hemvägen EP and single "Lyckans Undulat"
Included previously unreleased track "Home Sweet Home" (variant of "Hem Ljuva Hem")
Featured experimental instrumentation including shoes and scissors as percussion elements
Established the band's signature folktronica sound that gained international blog circuit attention
Band toured extensively throughout Sweden between 2006-2008, appearing on MTV Europe
Interesting Facts About "E18"
The Album That Launched a Thousand Marble Machines
"E18" became the foundation for Martin Molin's later fame with the viral Marble Machine project. The experimental approach to instrumentation and mechanical music-making evident in Detektivbyrån's work directly influenced Molin's creation of the 3000-component contraption that used 2000 metal marbles to play music. Fans often discover Detektivbyrån through Molin's Wintergatan project, leading to renewed appreciation for the folktronica pioneers who "shamefully pirated it, then felt so bad about doing so that they went and bought the CD without a second thought."
Swedish Blog Circuit Heroes and International Recognition
The E18 Album gained significant traction in the international blog circuit, particularly among Swedish indie pop enthusiasts on sites like "It's a Trap!" and "Swedesplease." Despite being sung entirely in Swedish and featuring unconventional instrumentation, the album's whimsical blend of accordion melodies, electronic glitch elements, and "click-blippity mania of old-school eight-bit video games" resonated globally. The band's dissolution in August 2010 came just as their influence on the emerging folktronica genre was reaching its peak, making their small catalog increasingly treasured by collectors and electronic folk enthusiasts worldwide.